On hot days, conventional residential or commercial air-conditioning units are frequently overburdened by the task of adequately cooling a home or other building. Often times the cooling system will remain on for long periods of times while the unit tries to maintain a set temperature. Worse yet, the air-conditioning system will operate continuously, even worse, household or building temperature will slowly rise while the air-conditioning unit operates at its maximum cooling capability using large amounts of costly electrical energy.
When operating in these conditions, the air-conditioning unit is under excessive stress due to internal temperatures and pressures that are at or above maximum design limits which will shorten the life of major components such as the compressor. So in addition to high operating costs, one must deal with increased maintenance costs and the cost of more frequent replacement of major components due to premature wear.
This invention is a device that will aid the air-conditioning unit on days when the electrical and mechanical demands on the system are excessive and even on days when weather conditions are not so extreme. The inventive system will increase the efficiency of the entire system at any time when it is appropriate to operate an air-conditioning unit with the purpose of cooling a volume of air.
The system can be constructed in different configurations that will make its application possible with most residential air conditioners. The system has application with larger industrial units as well.
The invention includes piping network with misting devices configured to envelop a residential or commercial air conditioning unit, thereby cooling air inhaled into the unit.
It is a well-known thermodynamic phenomenon that the evaporative process of any substance will extract heat from the surrounding air. When water under pressure is released into air as a mist it will more freely evaporate and draw significant quantities of heat from the surrounding environment. This change in thermodynamic state from liquid to vapor cools the surrounding air. Sufficient pressure exists in a public water supply to create a mist or fog when the pressurized water is released through a misting device.
Through the process of evaporative cooling, the mist cools the ambient air surrounding the air conditioner housing unit. Additional evaporation occurs with the aid of the condensing unit's fan. The result is a system that runs with higher efficiency saving operating costs and maintenance costs.
When cooler air blows across a heat exchanger, the result is lower internal temperatures and pressures in all parts of the air conditioning system. The are several beneficial consequences of this. First, the compressor will not work as hard to pump the coolant substance (in most cases Freon) through the a closed air-conditioning system, thereby reducing the electrical demand and reducing the current required to run the compressor. Whenever the compressor is in operation, the supplied electrical power will be less.
Second, the temperature of the supply air flowing through a home or commercial building duct system will be measurably lower compared to an air conditioner unit operating without the misting network. The reduced temperature of air flowing through the duct work will cause the air in the building to be cooled more rapidly. The temperature set on a temperature controlling device such as a thermostat can be reached more quickly and efficiently with the effect that the unit will turn off sooner than if the heat exchange unit (such as an air conditioning compressor) were not being cooled by the evaporating water mist.
The invention is a system and method for cooling the intake air for an air conditioner housing unit. The invention includes a plurality of conduits connected to a fluid source. At least one nozzle is positioned adjacent a terminal end of each conduit. These nozzles are configured to expel vapor, preferably water vapor, substantially around an entire perimeter of the horsing. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of conduits form a network that engages the housing.